I Don't Know

I don't know exactly how I became so fortunate as to have a friend like Margaret, but I am so thankful that I do.  Margaret left a comment for me on my blog yesterday saying that she had sent me a package and that she hoped it would arrive the same day Miss Ru (our daughter Ruthie) got home from the hospital.

I have been the recipient of several of Margaret's beautiful stitcheries, and I treasure each one.  She suggested that I might put this one into one of my quilts.  Selfishly, I don't know if I could bear to part with it, and we all know my quilts tend to leave home.

Miss Ru claimed the blue bag right away which leaves me very happily with the floral one.  Both of them are perfect.

We had to try the Australian biscuits right away.  The top package.  Oh my, talk about good!  I don't think we have anything exactly like that here.

Hand knit (by Margaret) elf socks!  I try so hard not to be envious, but I have been - just the least little bit - of all those of you talented knitters out there.  I've tried, but have not so far been able to wrap my head around the whole process.  And I have SO wanted some hand knitted socks and now I have some! I love them.

So many pretty things in this package,

and each one a reminder of a dear lady who has touched my heart.  Again and again.

You know, Margaret got her wish, too, because the package arrived today shortly after Mr. Muddling brought Miss Ru home from the hospital.  Excellent timing.  We all enjoyed seeing the treasures from a dear friend far away.

Miss Ru is doing very well.  Glory to God!  We'll have about a week of at-home IV antibiotic medications and then she can get back to her life. 

I am so thankful for so many things.  God is so incredibly good to us in so many ways.  So many of the dear, dear friends I've discovered here in blogland are definitely one of those ways.  Thanks to all who have prayed for Miss Ru.  I know a very wise woman who always says, "Prayer moves the hands that move the world."

You know I love you, and I pray for you, too.  I hope you have a wonderful day!

Hugs and kisses,

As we were leaving the hospital today after our visit with our daughter Ruthie, we were pleasantly surprised to see (and hear) that a concert was taking place in the lobby.  Houston Symphony Orchestra in costume, playing beautifully for anyone who cared to stop and listen.  What a nice break from the everyday that was!  There were lots of people enjoying the beauty of it.

Miss Ru is improving and getting stronger every day.  We are just so thankful and humbled at the goodness of the Lord.  It did not start out well, but this visit has been a good one.  The plan is that she will be coming home next week sometime.

Lemons from our very own front yard.  Aren't they gorgeous!  You should taste them. 

I've taken the exterior shutters away from the sewing room window, the better to enjoy the view now that the extreme heat of summer is gone.  Doesn't Claude look contented?  Mr. Muddling has been surprised to see the change in him.  Claude has gone from being so wary he would not let me near him, to greeting me when I go out to feed him, rubbing against my legs and mewing to be stroked.  He is such a loving cat.  I don't know what happened to him before he decided to live in our back yard, but I can tell that the tip of his tail has been cut off and that the tail seems to have been broken in at least one place.  As you may be able to tell, he's also moved right into my heart.  I'd like to get him to the vet to be checked out, but I don't know when or if that will happen.  We're taking it slowly.  I don't want to scare him.

Don't you love this fabric?  I saw it online and had to order some.  Miss Ru has a friend coming to the wedding from Great Brittain next year and I'm going to make a quilt for him.  I don't know exactly what I'm going to do yet, but the cowboy boots may just figure in it.

I have a date with these strips tonight.  We have plans. 

I saw on Wanda's blog that she uses a closet accessory to organize her strips and I liked that idea.  Mr. Mudding and I picked up this little folding laundry rack when we were out and about yesterday.  I think it might just work.

I'm off now for some therapeutic sewing.  Hope you're finding something to do that makes you happy!

Hugs and kisses,

                                                                              

I Don't Want to Frighten You

but Christmas IS coming!  These guys just crack me up, and a merry heart does me good!

And these guys are funnier still.  I can't seem to get a very good picture of them, but trust me - there is just something about a Santa sock monkey that is hilarious.  Or maybe it's just me.

Last night, or rather early this morning, I finished the crosses quilt.  I added another border, this one with teapots, to make it wide enough.  What's not to love - cupcakes, teapots and lots of purple.  This was for a friend of ours.

Here's the backing and a closer look at the binding. 

These beauties were made by the Sweetie who got the crosses quilt today.  The cupcakes are going to the CF Walk tomorrow, even though Miss Ru won't be going.  Perry is going to walk for her and himself as well, which is only right.  The two shall be as one, the Bible says.  Again, I did not capture the color correctly.  The roses are a gorgeous purple.  Miss Ru does love her some purple!

Miss Ru is still in the hospital, and the doctors are still working on getting her back where she belongs.  We really appreciate all the prayers and well wishes from you, my dear friends!

 

Also last night, because I was really on a roll - I finished the apple core Christmas quilt.  Mr. Muddling loves this quilt, but it is not staying here.  It will be going on a little trip out of state.

The backing on this one is a green, not gray, flannel.

And yes, I am so bad that I sneaked a photo of Mr. Muddling "resting" while we were in Miss Ru's room the other day.  Spending time in the hospital is not fun for the patients or for those who love them, but thank God for them and for all the help we can get to get well!

As one of my blog friends told me not long ago, sewing happy fabrics into quilts helps you to cope with the things going on in your life that are not so happy.  That is certainly the case for me.  It's therapeutic.

Hope you're finding ways to stay happy and busy!

Hugs and kisses,                                 

                                                                             

Run, Run, As Fast As You Can

That's the way I feel, just a lot of the time.  Run, run, run.  I know you do, too.  Guess it's just the pace of the world today.  It's nice once in a while though to be be able to sit down and just do nothing.  Doesn't happen too often though. 

 I have some baby quilts I need to get made, so I was glad to see these in my mailbox today.

I got these from an ebay seller I've been really happy with, Ilona.  She's had some lovely fabrics, good deals, and has been a sweetheart as well - all very good reasons to continue to buy from her.

Also these beautiful Kaffe's are from her.  I'm getting all of them washed now so they're be ready for me to use.

My Christmas Apple Core is on the quilt frame.  I got it started last night and hopefully will finish it tonight.

In other, not so nice news, Miss Ru is back in the hospital.  Pneumonia, and they say there's a hole in her lung, too.  Not great, but we're believing God for a speedy recovery for her.

Hope all is going well in your corner of the world!

Hugs and kisses,

                                                                                           

Still

Ray is still alive.  Mainly because in spite of everything, I still like him.

Claude is still looking at me narrowly, even though I feed him at least twice a day.

Bruno is still smiling as he accompanies me everywhere he possibly can.

The chickens are still overwhelmingly happy to get out into the back yard and scatch in the dirt, eat anything that looks edible (and spitting it back out if it's not), and running and playing and having a good time every chance they get.

The Angel's Trumpets are still dripping off the bush at the back door.  (I'm happy to say!)  The fragrance in the evenings is just absolutely wonderful!   Wish I could somehow add it to this post, but we do not have that option yet.  LOL

The Crosses quilt is still on the design wall, though I did get the first three vertical rows totally sewn together earlier today.

And I found this delicious looking cupcake fabric at one of my favorite ebay seller's store.  Since this quilt is going to a maker and seller of cupcakes, it seems fitting.

I hope the things that are good for you are STILL good, and that the things that are not good for you are gone!

Hugs and kisses,

           

So, I Started Another Quilt

I know.  Big surprise, huh?  LOL!  I have been so inspired by Wanda's Crosses Quilts that I wanted to try my hand at it as well.  I'm trading a quilt for some cupcakes later this month, and this will be it. This is the way I started laying it out on Saturday.

By Sunday I had made a few changes.

By Monday night (really early Tuesday) I the first seven vertical rows sewn together.

Tonight, I've got eleven vertical rows sewn.  I think I've hit the wall for tonight.

Today I took Miss Ru to the dentist for a follow up on some oral surgery she had last week.  All is well there.  But it was Sunday night that the exciting thing happened.  She and her boyfriend have been dating for a long time.  I don't even remember how many years.  Sunday night they went to a Houston Aeros (our hockey team) game.  Perry had arranged to surprise her with the proposal there at the game.  It was a total surprise to her, and he won MAJOR romantic points.  It was on camera and on the big screen.  He even went down on one knee.  Priceless!

There has  been more fabric shopping going on here.  These came from Connecting Threads.  I had read on CrazyMomQuilts about her using some of the lightly dotted fabric as a background instead of white.  I like that idea.  And I have a quilt in mind that I'd like to try with one of these.

And these I got (you knew I would, didn't you?) when Quilt Taffy had that little sale.  I have no idea what I'll use these for, but I know I will.  They just sort of sing, don't they!

This is our baby daughter.  She's the adventurous one.  After a stint in the Army and trying lots of other things, including very responsible and well-paying positions, she's ended up on a horse farm in New York State, working with horses every day and loving it!  I laugh often at the irony of a Texas girl going to New York to work with horses, but 'tis true!  It's just a long way from home, and we miss her.

I hope you're finding lots of things to keep you busy and happy.  And that you'll tell me about them!!!

Hugs and kisses,

                       

Strip Twist

Yes, indeed, finished!  And I think it turned out really well.  I like it!  It is a free pattern from Bonnie Hunter, if you are interested in making one.

Here's a little closer look and you can see I did use the two batiks I bought last weekend. 

This one is for a guy who's a guitar player, so of course I had to put a few in there for him.

And here's the back , mostly covered up by that huge rosella bush in the garden.

I harvested a nice big bowl of them and will get more tomorrow.  I'm thinking I might try making jelly this time.

I also harvested this nice little bunch of mustard greens.  They were delicious for lunch today.  There is just nothing like fresh from the garden produce!

I'm thinking on another quilt.  Haven't quite decided on a plan yet though.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and lots of fun!

Hugs and kisses,